Method of covering cushion seats and the like



Dec- 19, 1933. M. sTuBNxTz METHOD OF COVERING CUSHION SEATS AND THE LIKE Filed July 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Infine.

Dec. 19, 1933. M. sTuBNlTz METHOD OF' COVERING CUSHION SEATS AND THE LIKE Filed July 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AND THE

LIKE

Maurice Stubnitz, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Fort Pitt Bedding Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 13, 1933, Serial No. 680,329, and in Canada November 9, 1932 3 Claims.

This invention relatesv to methods of covering cushion seats and the like; and it comprises a method of covering cushion seat frames having a lower border frame provided with an inturned pocket in its lower portion, wherein a cover together with suitable upholstery is laid over the seat frame, the edge of the cover extending beyond the pocket and being wrapped taut around the lower portion of the border frame over the pocket, and a plurality of expansible V-shaped spring clips, normally wider apart at their extremities than the inside of the pocket, are forced, together with the cover edge, into the pocket at spaced intervals along the pocket, the cover during this operation being stretched out laterally to avoid wrinkling, the clips securely retaining the cover in the pocket under compression; all as more-fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the upholstering of cushion seats many difficulties are encountered; particularly in the case of cushion seats for automobiles, where the strains and shocks put upon`the cushion seat are uncommonly severe. The oldest method is that of tacking the cover -to a wooden seat frame. Seats covered in this way are not entirely satisfactory. The tacks tend to loosen and drop out, and they are also apt to tear the cloth covering. Metal frames are taking the place of wooden ones in the industry. All-metal frames require different cover fastening means; tacks cannot be used. Various cover fastening means for use with metal frames have been `proposed. In some, the edge of the cover isprovided with a corded or rolled edge, and this edge is retained by a bent-in pocket. In others, metal bars or rods have been used to hold the cover against the frame.

None of these methods has proved to be entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of workmanship. Seat cushions with the various retaining means mentioned often develop unsightly wrinkles in use, or the cover becomes loose or even detached. Most of the seat cover attachments proposed also have the defect that part of the attachment means are exposed to view; the finished cushion shows a metal binding strip, or part of the frame. This is objectionable in the modern passenger automobile industry; in fact seat cushions showing metal parts are ruled out from closed passenger car use.

In using long steel locking bars or the like in conjunction with a beaded or turned seat frame edge to retain the cover to the frame, in the ideal case the cover should be retained all along its edge; that-is, at an innite number of points; since the locking bar is theoretically in contact with the cover all along its length and theoretically presses the cover with equal force at all points. Actually, this ideal condition does not obtain. It is found that the bar pinches the cover tightly to the frame edge at several points, while in between there are regions of light pressure wherev the bar scarcely presses the cover against the frame edge at all. The effect is that of a plurality of irregularly spaced points of retention, with intervening slack places. In practice, it often happens that the bar grips the cover to the frame more at the ends than in the middle, or vice versa. This may be due to slight bends or similar irregularities in the locking bar. On the other hand, irregular pressure may occur as a result of imperfectly attaching the locking bar. It is ahnost impossible to hold a cover in place and attach the locking bar so it will bear' evenly along the length of the cushion frame.` The result is that the lightly retained portions of the cover edge loosen and slip, and characteristic wrinkles, radiating from the points of firm retention, form in the sides of the cushion.

There is a third disadvantage of most of the old cover-fastening means and methods; high cost of manufacture, both in kmaterials and labor. A tacked cushion seat to be satisfactory must have a wooden frame made from selected lumber, well joined; and the tacking operation is relatively time consuming and costly. Cush ion seats using metal bars or binding strips are heavy and costly, on account of the large amount of metal required; and theprocess .of attaching the cover to the frame by means of the metal bars is time consuming. In the highly competitive mass production seat cushion industry of today, the cost of manufacture of a cushion seat frame and the cost of upholstering it must be low.

In a copending application, Serial No. 600,785,- of which the present application is in part a continuation, I have described and claimed a cushion seat for automobiles or the like comprising a lower border frame having an inner pocket, spring supporting slats bridging sides oi the frame and springs supported on the frame. The inner pocket is adapted to receive the edge of a cover and a plurality of spring clips which serve to hold the cover in place. This construction presents many advantages. The cover is firmly held at all times. There 1s nothing to come loose. The pocket being on the inside, the

cover retaining means are concealed from view. The frame is inexpensively manufacturable, being made from rolled metal. Instead of the cumbersome locking bars or trimming strips of earlier seats, I use a 4few simple metal clips, the amount of material represented in all the clips required for a seat equaling only one or two ounces, as compared with a weight of a pound or more for locking strips and the like. The frame can be manufactured at surprisingly low cost. The finished seat is entirely acceptable to the passenger car industry; it presents a neat appearance free from wrinkles and with no metal parts exposed.

'Ihe present invention relates to methods of assembling the cover with seat frames having pocketed edges and clips. In one embodiment of my method, the cover which may be provided with suitable upholstery is laid face down on a fiat supporting surface. 'I'he cushion frame comprising the lower border' frame, slats and the spring assembly including an upper border frame and springs is placed in an inverted position on the cover. The inverted cushion frame is compressed, according to the height desired in the finished cushion. A portion of the edge of the cover is inserted in the pocket and a clip is forced into the pocket at that point, securely retaining the cover. The cover is pulled out along the length of the pocket free of wrinkles and another clip is inserted at a suitably spaced interval. When one side of the cushion is cornpleted, the other sides are done in the same manner. 'I'hen the weight is removed and the cover becomes drawn up tightly by the springs. 'I'he product is a smooth, neat cushion of the desired height. I

My method is best understood by considering its application to a seat cushion frame of the type described. Inthe accompanying drawings I have illustrated my method 'as applied to one of thel cushion seat frames described in the copending application referred to. In these show- Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section, partly in elevation, illustrating the upholstering of a seat by my method, y

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the beaded edge of a frame with a clip being inserted,

Fig. 3 is a view of va tool useful in practising my method,

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective section showing a beaded edge of a frame with the edge of a cover held in place by clips,

Figs. 5, 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d show modified forms of lower frmes to which my covering method may be applied, ad

Fig. 6 shows in perspective an uncovered cushion seat frame in inverted position.

In these showings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the seat cushion frame comprises a lower border frame 1 having an inwardly turned pocket 2, the border frame being bridged by suitable spring supporting slats 3 carrying springs 4. In the modifications of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 5b, 5c and 6 an oifset portion 1A is provided as shown. This shoulder may be used to retain one end of the spring clip as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. The unsupported ends of the springs are tied together by an upper wire border frame 5 making a spring assembly. A complete cushion seat frame is shown in Fig. 6. upside down. A cover 'I with upholstery 8 is retained in the pocket by means of clips 6. Ir

Fig. 1 thel frame and cover are shown supported on a flat platen 9 and the frame is shown compressed under a weighted platen 10.

In 'one embodiment of my method, the cover is laid, face down, on the platen 9. On the cover is placed suitable upholstery, and on the upholstery is placed the seat frame as shown (see Fig. 1) and the framel suitably centered. Then platen 10, which is of size smaller than the base of the cushion seat, is brought down on the frame, compressing Ythe springs as shown, the extent to which the springs are compressed determining the height of the nished cushion. The edge of the cover is pulled up over the beaded edge of the frame, inserted in the pocket, and manually held from slipping while a clip is forced into place by means of a curved tool 11, advantageously at a corner of the frame, this step of operations being `shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he cover edge is pulled out laterally to smooth out wrinkles and another clip forced into place at a suitable interval (usually from two to four inches). This process is repeated all around the frame. Then the upper platen 10 is removed, releasing the springs. The cushion is now finished. The springs draw the cover rmly against the frame, giving a smooth, unwrinkled covering job.

Figures 5, 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d show some of the frame pocket forms with which my method of covering may be readily used. Fig. 5 shows in 105 detail the type of lower border frame shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the cover and clips in place.

In this form one side of the spring clip is retained beneath the offset shoulder 1A. In the modication shown in Fig. 5a., the oiset shoulder 110 is omitted, and a small inturned edge 13 is provided on the pocket edge, behind which the clip is retained as shown. Fig. 5b shows a lower border frame having an inner, down-turned pocket, the clip being retained in the pocket as shown. 115 This form presents some advantages in upholstering, but is more costly than the form in Fig.

5. Fig. 5c shows a modification similar to Fig. 5, but here the clip and cover are retained by pressure against the pocket walls. Fig. 5d is similar 120 to Fig. 5b, 4except that the inner pocket is horizontal.

In the frame designs shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, 5b and 5c the lower border frame is attached to the spring supporting bars by rivets 14, as shown. 125 In Figs. 5a and 5d attachment is by spot welding 15 as shown. Any suitable attachment means can be used. i

In my seat cover fastening, the cover is held to the frame principally by frictional contact with 130 the outside of the pocketed edge of the lowervborder frame. As a result, the cover is held all along the lower frame. Instead of irregular holding pressures on the cover edge varying from zero to a high value, such as occur when long bars are used, I secure equal holding pressure all around the frame. As a result there are no strains on certain portions of the cover; and no loosening or tearing occurs. By means of the spaced clips in my invention I substitute a plurality of points of equal retention at determined, regular intervalsV (the length of the intervals being determined by the nature of the covering material, the length of the frame, etc.) for a plurality of points or areas of unequal retention at irregular, unpredictable intervals. By my method', I produce a seat cushion free of wrinkles and with the ,cover securely held and with equal tension at each point. The nnisned 15 cushion has the cover retained with uniform Vtightness all around the lower edge.

What I claim is:

1. A method of covering cushion seat frames having a lower border frame provided with an inturned pocket in its lower portion, wherein a cover together with suitable upholstery is laid over the seat frame, the edges of the cover extending .beyond the pocket, the edge of the cover is wrapped around the lower portion of the pocket, and a plurality of expansible V-shaped spring clips, normally wider apart at their extremities than the inside of the pocket, are forced with the cover edge into the pocket at spaced intervals along the pocket, the cover during this operation being kept stretched out laterally free of wrinkles, the clips securely-retaining the cover in the pocket by compressing the cover against the inside of the pocket and holding it taut against the lower portion ofthe pocket.

2. 'I'he process of assembling upholstery material and covers with cushion seat frames having a lower border frame provided with an inturned pocket adapted to receive expansible spring metal clips, which comprises laying the cover upon a iiat supporting surface, placing up holstery thereon, placing the cushion seat frame in inverted position on the upholstery, compressl ing the springs to an extent corresponding to the comprises placing a cover over the seat frame with the edges of the cover extending beyond the pocket, Wrappingv the edge of the cover around the lower portion of the pocket, inserting the lower edgel of the cover into the pocket and inserting in the pocketat spaced intervals over the cover a plurality of individual spring clips normally wider at their extremities than the inside of the pocket, while the cover is keptstretched out laterally and free of wrinkles whereby the clips in expanding retain the cover in the pocket by compressing the cover against the inside thereof and holding it taut around the lower portion of the pocket.

` MAURICE STUBNITZ. 

